The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is hoping Jim Flaherty takes a page out of its 2014 alternative budget.
Each year the group publishes its own budget for the federal government to consider.
One of the recommendations contained in its new financial plan is that Ottawa increase its investment in shelters for women and children fleeing violence.
The group’s president, David MacDonald, says there are currently just 41 on-reserve shelters for 634 reserve communities and that needs to increase:
“Unfortunately it’s not getting the recognition is deserves. If you imagine that 120 women were missing or murdered in Toronto it would be a national emergency, but if 120 women are missing or murdered from reserves it’s not a national emergency and it should be.”
MacDonald says just $24 million over two years was given to the Family Violence Prevention Program last year, an amount he thinks should be doubled.
He also thinks First Nations police forces could do with some more stable funding.
According to the centre’s research, some First Nations police services have reported their operational budgets for the fiscal year are in doubt and they don’t know how they’ll keep operating through 2014.